The Psychology of Doping in Sport

This is the first book to draw together cutting-edge research on the psychological processes underlying doping use in sport and exercise, thereby filling an important gap in our understanding of this centrally important issue in contemporary sport. Covering diverse areas of psychology such as social cognition, automatic and controlled processes, moral decision-making, and societal and contextual influence on behaviour, the book also explores methodological considerations surrounding doping assessment in psychological research as well as future directions for evidence-based preventive interventions and anti-doping education.
Written by a team of leading international researchers from countries including the US, Canada, Australia, the UK, Greece, Germany, Italy, Denmark and Ireland, the book integrates empirical findings with theoretical guidance for future psychological research on doping, and illuminates the challenges, needs and priorities in contemporary doping prevention. It is important reading for advanced students and researchers in sport and exercise science, sport management and sport policy, and will open up new perspectives for professional coaches, sports administrators, policy makers and sport medicine specialists looking to better understand the doping behaviours of athletes in sport.

Vassilis Barkoukis is an Assistant Professor of Teaching in Physical Education in the Department of Physical Education and Sport Science at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. His research interests involve the application of social cognitive approaches in physical education, physical activity and sports. He has authored several articles and book chapters on the psychological processes underlying doping use. He has participated in several international research projects on doping funded by the WADA, EU and other funding bodies. Lambros Lazuras is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the International Faculty of the University of Sheffield, and a research associate in the Department of Social and Developmental Psychology at 'La Sapienza' University of Rome. His research is focused on the social cognitive predictors of substance use and health-related behaviours. He has authored research articles, books, and chapters in edited books about doping use, and participated in several research projects about doping, funded by the World Anti-Doping Agency, and the European Commission. Haralambos Tsorbatzoudis is a Professor of Applied Sport Psychology in the Department of Physical Education and Sport Science at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. His research interests focus on the applications of social cognitive theories in sport and physical education. He has authored more than 100 articles in sport psychology, physical education and physical activity and has authored, translated and edited approximately 10 books relevant to psychology, education, research methods and sport science in Greek. He served as principal investigator in three WADA funded projects.

Part 1: Psychosocial processes underlying doping use 1. Doping in elite sport: Linking behaviour, attitudes and psychological theory (Kate Kirby, Suzanne Guerin, Aidan Moran and James Matthews) 2. "I am not sure what you mean . . . . . ": The possible contribution of interpersonal appraisals to social-cognitive accounts of doping use (Arnaldo Zelli, Luca Mallia and Fabio Lucidi) 3. Modeling doping cognition from a dual process perspective (Ralf Brand, Wanja Wolff and Franz Baumgarten) 4. Social cognitive predictors of doping use: an integrative approach (Lambros Lazuras) Part 2: Methodological considerations in doping research 5. When the "how" may at least matter as much as the "what": The value of qualitative approaches in doping research (Fabio Lucidi, Luca Mallia and Arnaldo Zelli) 6. Substantive and Methodological Considerations of Social Desirability for Doping in Sport (Daniel F. Gucciardi, Geoffrey Jalleh and Robert J. Donovan) 7. Indirect measures in doping behaviour research (Andrea Petróczi) 8. Minimizing response bias: An application of the randomized response technique (Werner Pitsch) Part 3: Ethical aspects and implications in doping use and control 9. Revisiting values in sports: The case of doping (Lea Cleret) 10. Societal and athletes' perspectives on doping use in sport: The Spirit of Sport (Jason Mazavov and Twan Huybers) 11. Moral disengagement and doping (Maria Kavussanu) 12. Ethical Dilemma Training - A new approach to doping prevention? (Anne-Marie Elbe and Ralf Brand) Part 4: Doping research and prevention: Where we stand, and where we need to go? 13. Nutritional supplements in sport: prevalence, reasons for use and relation to doping (Susan Backhouse and Lisa Whitaker) 14. Parent-Based Interventions: Implications for Doping Prevention (Tonya Dodge, Paige Clarke and Steffi Renninger) 15. Moving away from penalization: The role of education-based campaigns (Vassilis Barkoukis) 16. Next steps in doping research and prevention: Ten big questions (Haralambos Tsorbatzoudis, Lambros Lazuras and Vassilis Barkoukis)